Chiu takes lead of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron

Family Readiness Officer Jen Anderson talks to Lt. Col. Lesley W. Chiu before the change of command ceremony for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron at New River Air Station Thursday morning. Chiu is taking over for Lt. Col. Walter S. Lee Jr.

Photo by Maria Sestito/The Daily News

By Adelina Colbert Adelina.colbert@JDNews.com

Published: Friday, August 1, 2014 at 06:21 AM.

Marines and sailors of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron aboard the Marine Corps Air Station New River bid farewell to their commanding officer and welcomed a new leader into their squadron this week.

Marines and sailors of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron aboard the Marine Corps Air Station New River bid farewell to their commanding officer and welcomed a new leader into their squadron this week.

“I don’t want to go,” Lee said. “It’s been a great few years and it’s been very rewarding. I love these Marines but my time has come to an end.”

Lee said he had the chance to meet and work with Chiu for the past couple of months before the change of command and said Chiu was “the right guy to do this.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to leave my unit with him,” he said. “If I could have handpicked my relief, it would be him.

Lee, whose 22-year military career will end next year, said he will still be around some of the Marines he has worked with.

“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be the station’s operations officer,” he said. “So I actually stay on the air station and continue working with many of these Marines.”

During Lee’s time as commanding officer, the H&HS squadron received its sixth consecutive Joint Operations Support Airlift Center Squadron of the Year Award last year in the United States Marine Corps Small Aircraft Category and the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award. The squadron is made up of 400 Marines, sailors and civilians .

Lee was also awarded the Meritorious Service Medal during the ceremony while his wife, Amy, received a certificate of appreciation from Col. Timothy M. Salmon, the commanding officer at Marine Corps Air Station New River.

Cpl. Mary Carmona, a 23-year-old Marine with Headquarters and Support at Camp Lejeune, said she was sad to see her former commanding officer leave.

“A lot of commanding officers, especially at the rank of a lieutenant colonel, you don’t see them approachable or having an open door policy,” Carmona said. “They might seem intimidating, but I have no problem with approaching Lt. Col Lee.”

Carmona, who worked with Lee before transferring to Camp Lejeune, said Lee was a leader who cared about the well-being and development of each individual Marine.

“I’m very glad that I was able to serve under Lt. Col. Lee,” she said. “I’m glad I’m able to be at the ceremony today.”